The invention relates to a copy-guiding or directing device having a variable geometry for use, for example, in critical copy-guiding regions on copy-guiding cylinders in folders; and copy-guiding cylinders in combination with the copy-guiding device; a folder with copy-guiding cylinders and the guiding device; as well as a guiding device assembly including the guiding device.
The published German Patent Document DE 35 12 308 A1 discloses a folder having a jaw cylinder and a tucker-blade cylinder cooperating with the jaw cylinder, provided with a guiding device disposed in the direction of rotation of the cylinders, which cooperate during a folding operation. The guiding device is located behind or downline of the folding location, in an outlet wedge formed between the two cylinders, and extends over the entire cylinder length. During the folding operation, it is intended, on the one hand, that the copy regions which are drawn off from the circumferential surface of the cylinders be treated with care and, on the other hand, that the guiding device per se not be subjected to excessive loading. For this purpose, the guiding device is provided with a central part having a somewhat cylindrical jacket surface and mounted so as to be freely rotatable about a cylinder-parallel axis. Laterally adjoining the central part, in the jacket surface thereof, are stationary connecting elements. This construction does not provide for a change in the surface contour or surface geometry of the guiding device.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,521,007 relates to a braking-brush device in a folder of a rotary printing machine. Braking brushes are provided for stretching, in the longitudinal direction thereof, web sections which are transported in a conveying direction. The braking brushes are arranged so that they fit closely or snugly against the curvature of the cylinder surface and are distributed over the entire cylinder width. Furthermore, a transverse support and an adjusting spindle are disposed so that they extend parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cylinder, the braking brushes being held by lower ends thereof on the adjusting spindle, and by upper ends thereof on the transverse supports, the respective transverse supports being held at the ends thereof by levers. Through the intermediary of the levers, the respective transverse supports can be engaged or brought into contact, to a greater or lesser extent, with the web sections unrolling on or off-running from the cylinder.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,226,871 discloses a guiding device for guiding copies on a cylinder. In a folder having a jaw cylinder, a web length is cross cut from the web and folded. The cylinder has a guiding device assigned thereto that includes a non-concentric guide part with a convexly curved section and a further convexly curved guide part joined to the non-concentric guide part. The curved guide surface that is produced by the mutual joining of the two guide parts corresponds to a natural conveying path of the folding products and, with little adverse effect to the product run, reduces the occurrence of dog ears and the like.
The published European patent Document EP 0 220 644 A2 relates to a suction device in a combination folder. Located beneath an outlet wedge defined between two cooperating folding cylinders is a suction device arrangement, with the aid of which it is possible to reduce the consequences of a whiplash effect occurring when the product-conveying direction is reversed. The suction device includes a freely rotatably mounted suction roller and two stationary guide parts arranged adjacent thereto.
The published German Patent Document DE 197 08 213 A1 relates to a method and a device for guiding products in a fold-forming region of a folder. The folder includes a first cylinder for transporting a product, and a folding cylinder that is in rotary connection, in a gap, with the first cylinder. Assigned to a transfer region between the surfaces of the first cylinder and the folding cylinder is a product-guiding device that includes a smoothing element having different sections of product contact elements which are arranged so that they extend angularly away from one another in opposite directions. In this device, also, the geometry of the product-guiding device that projects into the cylinder wedge is fixedly prescribed.
With regard to the prior state of the art described herein, it is an object of the invention to provide a copy-guiding device having a variable geometry and, more specifically, to optimize a guiding device for flat products so that the guiding device may be adapted to flat products with different material properties.
With the foregoing and other objects in view, there is provided, in accordance with one aspect of the invention, a guiding device for copies in a folder of a rotary printing machine, comprising a guiding material engageable with copies projecting into an outlet wedge formed between copy-guiding cylinders, the guiding material forming a surface of the guiding device facing towards the copies, the surface having a geometry that is changeable.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the guiding device has at least one guide body.
In accordance with a further feature of the invention, the guiding device is swivellable relative to the outlet wedge formed between the copy-guiding cylinders.
In accordance with an added aspect of the invention, there is provided a guiding device assembly including the guiding device having at least one of the foregoing features, and a shaft about which the guiding device is swivellable.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, there is provided a guiding device assembly including the guiding device having at least one of the foregoing features, and an adjusting cylinder for swivelling the guiding device.
In accordance with yet a further feature of the invention, the at least one guide body has a structure for holding the guiding material.
In accordance with yet an added feature of the invention, the guiding material is relatively movable in the structure of the at least one guide body.
In accordance with yet an additional feature of the invention, the guiding material is movable relative to an abutment surface formed on the at least one guide body.
In accordance with still another feature of the invention, the guiding device includes an extensible adjusting element, the guiding material being fastened centrally on the extensible adjusting element.
In accordance with still a further feature of the invention, the at least one guide body has an actuatable adjusting element that is retractable and extensible.
In accordance with still an added feature of the invention, the guiding device includes a plurality of the guide bodies, and a common drive for actuating the adjusting elements of the guide bodies.
In accordance with still an additional feature of the invention, the adjusting elements are adjustable by the drive relative to the guide bodies.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the guiding device includes a plurality of the guide bodies arranged side by side so that they extend over the width of the copy-guiding cylinders.
In accordance with a further feature of the invention, the guiding device includes a fastener for fastening the guiding material on the adjusting element, and the fastener is set back behind a surface of the guiding material that faces towards the copies.
In accordance with an additional aspect of the invention, copy-guiding cylinders are provided in combination with a guiding device for copies in a folder of a rotary printing machine, comprising a guiding material engageable with copies projecting into an outlet wedge formed between the copy-guiding cylinders, the guiding material forming a surface of the guiding device facing towards the copies, the surface having a geometry that is changeable.
In accordance with a concomitant feature of the invention, there are provided a folder with copy-guiding cylinders and a guiding device for copies, comprising a guiding material engageable with copies projecting into an outlet wedge formed between the copy-guiding cylinders, the guiding material forming a surface of the guiding device facing towards the copies, the surface having a geometry that is changeable.
The advantages which are associated with the foregoing realizations of the invention reside in the fact that it is possible to reduce in a manner specific to the relevant printing material the accelerations which occur during the cross-folding operation when the conveying direction of the folding products is changed. The adaptation or accommodation of the geometry of that surface of the guiding device which faces towards the copies allows the guiding material to penetrate more or less deeply into the outlet wedge between the copy-guiding cylinders. It is thus possible for the corners of the end regions of the copies, in the case of low grammage, to be prevented effectively from folding over or xe2x80x9cdog-earingxe2x80x9d.
In a further configuration of the subject matter upon which the invention is based, the guiding device comprises at least one guide body. The guide bodies of the guiding device may be located side by side so that they cover the entire or just part of the width of the copy-guiding cylinders in the region in front of the outlet wedge. The guiding device can preferably be swivelled or pivoted relative to the outlet wedge between the copy-guiding cylinders and may be received or held on a shaft that passes through all the guide bodies of the guiding device. The guiding device is preferably swivelled or pivoted by an adjusting cylinder that may be supported on the housing of the folder.
The individual guide bodies of the guiding device are provided with a holder or receiver for the guiding material. The guiding material may be mounted in the holder or receiver so that it is movable relative to the latter in order to follow changes in geometry when the surface contour of the guiding device is changed. In this regard, the guiding material is also displaced relative to an abutment surface of the guide body. The guiding material is fastened on an adjusting element that brings about the respective changes in geometry to the guide bodies of the guiding device. The adjusting element may be a hammerhead-like, but rounded component, of which the outer surface, which acts upon the guiding material, is rounded, the adjusting element being so configured that it is both retractable into the guide body and extensible out of the guide body again.
The adjusting elements, respectively, which cause the changes in geometry to the guide bodies, are actuatable or operatable via a common drive that actuates the adjusting elements, which may be received on adjusting spindles, relative to the guide bodies. The guide bodies may be located side by side; however, it is also possible for them to extend over the width of the copy-guiding cylinders at a distance from one another, forming a gap therebetween in the process.
The guiding material, the surface of which is directed towards the copy-conveying route, is mounted on the adjusting element so that it is set back behind that surface of the guiding material that faces towards the copies.
The guiding device according to the invention may be received or held on the copy-guiding cylinders, which for their part may be arranged in the cylinder part of a folder arranged downline of a rotary printing machine.
Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a copy-guiding device having a variable geometry, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.